§ Mr. Allan Stewartasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any proposals to amend the statutory provisions governing public access to local authority accounts, in the light of the High Court judgment in the case of Olivers v. Northampton borough council.
§ Mr. LangMy right hon. and learned Friend is aware of the Scottish implications of the English High Court judgment, concerning the public right of access to personal information in local authority accounts about an authority's employees. A consultation paper is being issued today inviting comments on a proposal that at the next convenient opportunity amending legislation should be introduced to limit this right of access to information about gross pay, allowances, bonuses and overtime payments. A copy of the paper has been placed in the Library.